July 24th 1819
Dear Sir
Your favor of the 21st instant I received yesterday. I was in Albany a fortnight since & there made arrangements with Mr. DeWitt relative to the survey of the land claimed by Mr. Astor. I received his instructions and assisted by two surveyors propose to begin the business on lot No. 3 on the 2nd of August. The season is so far advanced & the field of service so extensive that I have scarce a hope of finishing before winter. I shall keep a Journal in which will be noted, besides the quantity, the quality of the visit with the state of the several buildings, inclosures & xx And a map of the whole will be constructed. The original field book & map will remain in my possession. As the whole must be considered the property of my principal I am not certain that I ought to furnish copies without his approbation.
After finishing lot No. 3, the great lot No. 5 will be visited, leaving No. 9 for the last.
If in the course of my surveys any light can be drawn from documents in Mr. Astors possession I will avail myself of your kind offer & address you.
The clerk of Dutchess county is now employed in copying from the returns of the Commissioners of forfeitures the boundaries etc. of all the sales they made of the property of Mr. & Mrs. Morris. Their copies are to be my principal guide.
NOTE:
This is in connection with the Astor suit against New York state.